written by Marko Jakob | 10.06.2022 |
Pix666: Hello and thanks for your time. Please introduce your band to the readers in a few short sentences. What kind of music do you make?
Chris: Thanks for having us! Defueld is a band based in Stockholm, Sweden. I would say we play a mix of metalcore, classic metal, rock and pop. Our main motto when writing songs is that the song should live where it wants to and not in a certain genre just because, so we never know what we’re gonna get haha.
Pix666: You founded Defueld in 2003 – what have been the highlights and most memorable moments with the band so far?
Chris: We’ve had quite a few highlights during the years but one of the coolest ones was when we performed in front of around 6k-7k people in Dakar, Senegal as the main act of a festival. It was such a different experience and we got massive support from the audience.
Pix666: Recently you released some new singles. How were the reactions to the new songs so far?
Chris: Yes we did. So far we’ve released 3 singles this year; ‘Erase’, ‘A Permanent Solution’ and the latest one ‘Leeches’. The reactions from our fans has been amazing. We’ve got so many people connecting with us telling us how much they like the new songs. We’ve also been getting a lot more radio play than before which is super fun!
Pix666: Do you also have a complete new album planned?
Chris: Yes, we do. We’re still in the process of finishing up the album and if I may guess I would think it will be out late this year or early next year. Until then we’re gonna continue to release singles and some of them will have some pretty cool features and co-writes.
Pix666: Can you still remember your last live performance and when will you finally go on tour again?
Chris: Man, it was so long ago. The pandemic really stopped the world and at a point in time I was actually wondering if we were ever able to play live again like we used to. Luckily now the world is changing for the better and live shows are back. We haven’t got anything specific planned just yet as we’re focusing on finishing up the album, but we will absolutely go back on the road again as soon as possible.
Pix666: Do you actually have certain rituals before you go on stage?
Chris: Not so much of a ritual but I mostly like to be alone and warm up my fingers and voice for an hour or two before the show.
Pix666: Let’s get back to the new songs. Was it actually problematic to finish the new songs during the pandemic? Were there any unexpected difficulties?
Chris: The hardest part was not being able to see each other as much and really sit down to work. We weren’t as locked down in Sweden as other parts of the world but even then you’ve got to take something like this very seriously.
Pix666: … and how do you create your songs and what are your lyrics about?
Chris: For us the songs mostly start with a riff, a melody or a groove. Almost never with lyrics. For every song we finish up there is maybe ten that we trashed because we didn’t feel it enough. The most important part for me is that the music should be able to speak for itself and bring out emotion in the listener.
You know that thing when you hear a really cool piece of music and your arm hair just stands up? That’s what we aim for. The lyrics are mostly fictional and revolve for the most time around mental issues, social issues and the dark side of society at large. We try to put a finger on things that we think about but also never tell the listener what to think. All our music should be to the listeners own interpretation.
Pix666: How have you experienced the development of social media in the course of the band’s history? It has become an important part of marketing and communication with the fans nowadays, right?
Chris: It really has become such an important part of being in this business. I myself feel that I have a lot to learn on how to communicate on social media. I’m an artist at heart and I feel sort of awkward “selling” my art, but it’s something we must do. I just try to find a way to do so and feel less awkward haha.
Pix666: Do you have dreams and wishes for your future with your band?
Chris: Right now we just want to finish up the album and go out to perform our new songs and see how they’re welcomed.
Pix666: What do you do when you’re not into music – do you have an interesting job or extraordinary hobbies?
Chris: Well, music is my life. When I’m not playing with Defueld I’m producing artists from my studio in Stockholm or is out mixing live audio. It’s what I do for a living. I wouldn’t be a good fit for a standard 9-5 job. When I’m off work I like to fire up the grill and during summer I like to be in the very beautiful Stockholm archipelago.
Pix666: Do you have any other news about Defueld, that you would like to share with the fans?
Chris: We’ve got some pretty cool collabs coming up, but it’s too early to say any more than that at the moment. All I can say is that I’m super psyched about these and we are having so much fun working right now.
Pix666: Thank you very much for the interesting answers – Good luck for the future and stay healthy!
Chris: Thanks for having us! This has been super fun!
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photos © by Defueld
